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Why is the Becoming a Global Manager course designed around a business plan? The process of writing the business plan helps students learn the discipline of taking an Idea and shaping It Into a concrete product. The hard work of “new venture due diligence” helps students develop skill sets (e. g. , critical thinking, research, time management, etc. ) that are vital to success In college and In the real world of work. In addition, students will be exposed to the various functional areas of business that
Interact to sustain organizations as they grow and develop. 2. Why does the Business Plan focus on a product or service for the TJX Corporation? Utilizing one company gives all students a common reference point for discussing how a business works. The TJX Corporation is an Ideal corporate partner because they believe in the Northeastern mission of Juxtaposing academic material with the real world of work. Accordingly, they have generously donated the time of many of their top executives who come to campus to share their business experuse.
In ddition, the TJX corporate umbrella covers three different kinds of stores in the united States, which affords students an opportunity to design plans across a variety of retail establishments. 3. How do I get information on TJX? When attempting to find answers to questions about TJX, which are not available through public records (e. g. , the Annual Report), students can look the TJX Topic Folder on 8b. Here you will find a list of questions and answers from past terms. Students should not write or call any personnel at the TJX headquarters or at any of the stores.
It is critical that we respect TJX guidelines for interaction with their employees and customers. 4. Why are students assigned to teams to write the business plan? The case for the effectiveness of teamwork is compelling and the benefits of groups are widely acknowledged. Drawing upon multiple viewpoints is often a requirement for success in the modern marketplace. Diverse groups of people bring to the table different ways of seeing and resolving a problem, In fact, research suggests that ventures launched by teams are more likely to become sustainable businesses than those launched by Individuals.
One study found that over 83% of companies that achieved sales of $5 million were started by teams. (Zacharakis, & TimmonsJ. Business plans That Work. 2011, p. 119) 5. What is the format for producing the various parts of the business plan? The toys However, for purposes of the course, the business plan is tackled one section at a time. Student groups are expected to work together to produce both oral presentations and written sections leading up to the final business plan. a. ) Each student group will typically make three class presentations on specific topics within the business plan.
In order to maximize feedback, at least one practice presentation will be recorded and viewed by the student teams. Practice presentations may be graded at the professor’s discretion. The professor will supply presentation guidelines as needed. b. ) Students are expected to submit various written parts of the Business Plan over the duration of the course. This system allows students to build towards their final plan rather than having to write the entire document at the end the term when students are facing exams and papers in other courses. Specific due dates will be announced in class.
ALL PAPERS AND POWERPOINT SLIDES MUST BE SUBMITTED IN CLASS ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012. All business plans must be submitted using the Turnitin feature on 8b. FINAL BUSINESS PLAN PRESENTATIONS WILL BE GIVEN IN CLASS ON wednesday, NOVEMBER 28 AND Thursday, NOVEMBER 29, 2012. 6. Does each group member receive the same grade on the final business plan? Not necessarily. One of the major complaints that students have with group work is the potential inequity in contribution of team members. To encourage maximum participation, each assignment will be accompanied by peer evaluations (see above).
These assessments may result in lower grades for those students who are Judged by their peers to have done less than their fair share of work. Students who receive high marks for leadership on a project will be given credit towards their class participation grade. PEER EVALUATIONS must be submitted with each section of the written and oral BP assignment. Any person who fails to turn in his/her peer evaluation will lose class participation points. Peer evaluations are a reality in many work environments. It is valuable training to learn to objectively rate the contributions of each member of a team.
While you may be initially uncomfortable passing Judgment on your peers, remember that the evaluation is a way to provide critical feedback to team members regarding issues that may be affecting the success of the group. The professor may also use these evaluations in determining student grades. Thus, it is important for groups to accurately report the working status of each group member. If groups find that certain students have a pattern of failing to fulfill their responsibilities on the group projects, they can meet with the professor and discuss the situation. 7. How are the “FAB FOUR” Business plans chosen? everal criteria. Each faculty member puts forward those plans that s/he has Judged to be first-rate endeavors based on the oral presentation skills of the group, the quality of the written plan, and the overall appeal of the business idea. Then, the entire teaching faculty reads the submitted papers, reviews the presentation videos and then makes a final decision on the winners. 8. Is it possible to get an A on the Business Plan assignment even if it has not been chosen as one of the FAB FOUR? Yes. This year, there will be over 140 plans ubmitted across 35 sections of the course.
There will likely be many excellent submissions that are not chosen because they are duplicates of an idea presented by another team, who has a slight edge in terms of presentation effectiveness. In addition, the faculty is looking for a range of ideas across the Final Four teams and will not put forward four plans that are highly similar in their product idea. 9. Are all sections of the Sustaining Business course taught identically? All sections use the same textbook, a common syllabus and adhere to the same grade distribution. The entire faculty meets on a weekly basis to discuss the course, which guarantees content consistency.
However, it is only natural to expect variations in teaching styles and there may also be some variation in the types of homework assignments faculty require. Students need to pay attention to the specific requirements specified by his/her professor. II. CLASS PARTICIPATION and NEWS SUMMARIES (20%) 10. How is class participation evaluated? There is both an objective and subjective component to measuring participation. Attendance is taken in class as well as at the TJX speaker events (see below). Being present is the minimum requirement for participation.
Students can raise their grades through active involvement in the classroom and with their teams. The professor is looking for those individuals who make a conscientious effort to contribute to the learning environment. This may be indicated by peer ratings on group projects and/or by verbal contribution to class discussion. As regards the latter, it is not about speaking the most or “being right” but rather about the genuine attempt to explore relevant material within the context of the classroom activities. To be “outstanding” requires a superior contribution as assessed by the professor.
Students will lower their participation grade through absences, unprofessional classroom behaviors (text messaging, sleeping, working on non-class assignments, etc), and/or failure to make a consistent contribution to group projects. The News Summaries are explained in the syllabus. These are required class sessions held during non-class hours in which a TJX executive will speak about his or her area of expertise. The goal is for students to have an exposure to the actual people that operate a major business and to see, first and, how course concepts are operationalized in a real-world context.
It is highly recommended that you arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of the presentation. Students should sit with their respective classes. Faculty expect that all students will be attentive audience members and will behave professionally towards the guest speaker. N. B. Any week in which there is an evening TJX presentation, class will be cancelled on the Thursday of that same week. 12. What if I have to miss a class for a legitimate reason? Notify the professor via e-mail ahead of time if you anticipate attendance problems or ASAP after class if absences are due to emergencies or non-functioning alarm clocks).
Personal messages delivered in class will likely be forgotten so please use email at all times to verify your situation. Be professional in all your course dealings (including interaction with your teammates). It is common courtesy to acknowledge and take responsibility for a missed meeting. Faculty expect to see your smiling face each and every class period. When you are AWOL, they are forced to draw their own conclusions. Students who are absent should check with their teammates regarding material overed in class.
Assignments may be changed at the professor’s discretion; it is the student’s responsibility to use his/her group as the primary source of information for what transpired in class.